TY - JOUR AU - Quintero, E. AU - Pique, J.M. AU - Bombi, J.A. AU - Bordas, J.M. AU - Sentis, J. AU - Elena, M. AU - Bosch, J. AU - Rodes, J. T1 - Gastric mucosal vascular ectasias causing bleeding in cirrhosis. A distinct entity associated with hypergastrinemia and low serum levels of pepsinogen I LA - eng PY - 1987 SP - 1054 EP - 1061 T2 - Gastroenterology SN - 0016-5085 VL - 93 IS - 5 AB - To characterize bleeding from gastric red spots in patients with cirrhosis, three groups of patients were studied: (a) 11 cirrhotic patients bleeding from gastric red spots, (b) 18 nonbleeding cirrhotic patients without gastric red spots, and (c) 13 noncirrhotic patients with endoscopic normal mucosa (controls). Histologic examination of antral biopsy specimens revealed a diffuse capillary ectasia without inflammation in 8 of the 11 cirrhotic patients with gastric lesions. Morphometric analysis disclosed a significantly greater mean mucosal capillary cross-sectional area in cirrhotic patients with gastric lesions (mean ± SE, 1371 ± 320 μm2) than in those without gastric lesions (541 ± 61 μm2) (P < 0.005) or controls (353 ± 20 μm2) (p < 0.001). Hypergastrinemia was detected in 8 of the 11 cirrhotic patients with lesions, in 2 of the 18 cirrhotic patients without gastric lesions, and in none of the controls (p < 0.001). Gastrin serum levels correlated significantly (r = 0.8) with mean mucosal capillary cross-sectional area in patients with cirrhosis. Pepsinogen 1 serum levels below 20 ng/ml were observed in 7 of the 11 cirrhotic patients with lesions, in 1 of the 18 cirrhotic patients without lesions, and in none of the controls. These data indicate that bleeding from gastric red spots in patients with cirrhosis is a distinct entity characterized by vascular ectasia of the gastric mucosa. This condition seems to be associated with hypergastrinemia and low serum levels of pepsinogen I. © 1987. DO - 10.1016/0016-5085(87)90569-5 UR - https://portalciencia.ull.es/documentos/5ea4b6022999526c8efa0fa3 DP - Dialnet - Portal de la Investigación ER -